Machine for stamp-canceling and postmarking mail-matter



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

M. V. B. ETHRIDGE. MACHINE FOR STAMP OANGELING AND POSTMARKING MAIL MATTER.

No. 424,868. Patented Apr..1, 1890.

(i worm N. PETERS, PhnioLllhcgmphur, Wilhimflnn. D. C

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

- M. V. B. ETHRIDGE.

- MAGHINE FOR STAMP GANOELING AND POSTMARKING MAIL MATTER.

No. 424,868. Patented Apr. 1. 1-890.

I I I A 1 9d Q/QMW l A N. m. M... M.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MARTIN V. B. ETIIRIDGE, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERICAN POSTAL MACHINES COMPANY, OF PORTLAND, MAINE.

MACHINE FOR STAMP-CANCELING AND POSTMARKING MAIL-MATTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 424,868, dated April 1, 18 90.

Application filed April 22, 1887. Serial No. 235,787. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARTIN V. B. ETHRIDGE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have in vented certain new and usefulImprovements in Machines for Stamplanceling and Postmarking Mail Matter; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the inven- IO tion, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to machines for stampcanceling and postmarking letters, postalr 5 cards, and other mail-matter, wherein said mail-matter is fed forward to the stamp or marker by means of a letter-conveying belt; and the invention consists, essentially, in a stamp or marker located opposite the belt and a marker-controller (that is itself controlled by the mail-matter) which prevents the marker from inking the belt; and, further, it comprises certain other features of novelty, to be hereinafter substantially described and 2 5 claimed.

In the annexed drawings, illustrating my invention, Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section on the line 00 0c of Fig. 3, and shows the type-cylinder, its elevating-cam, and cerrain other parts of its controlling mechanism in the position they are caused to assume when the marking-dies are opposite the belt and no mail-matter is passing. Fig. 2 is a similar section showing the same parts in the 3 5 position that they occupy when mail-matter is passing to be marked. Fig. 3 is a top plan View of the machine. Fig. 4 is an outline View similar to Fig. l, and shows the parts in the position taken when the pin on the cam is acting on the oblique rod and no mail-matter is passing.

Like letters ofreference designate corresponding parts in all the figures.

The various mechanical devices which make up this machine are mounted on any suitable frame-work, which is designated herein by A. The letter-conveying belts C O, which constitute the moving support for the mail-matter, are mounted on suitable rolls journaled in the frame, one of which E is preferably located beneath the postmarking and stamp-canceling cylinder D, and serves as a pressure-roll as well as a band-carrying roll or driver.

G denotes a rocker-frame, which overhangs the movingletter-support, approximately par- 5 5 allel thereto, and which is so located as to carry the printing-cylinder D, secured on a transverse shaft F, that is journaled in suitable boxes on the frame, said printing-cylinder being so .situated as to be directly over the impression-roll E and torevolve quite or nearly in contact with the belt without pressing thereon.

The frame G is fulcrumed upon a suitable. transverse shaft 11, which is j ournaled at each end in the frame, and is carried by supports on the main frame, as shown in Fig. 3.

A horizontal rocker-arm I is suitably fulcrumed at one end at b upon the rigid supporting-standard that serves to uphold the rocker-frame G, and itextends to a point underneath the shaft F, where it is furnished with a roller 0, journaled therein. A spring T, fastened to some suitable part of the machine, serves to uphold the rockerarm and keep the roller always in contact with the cam.

The shaft F carries a cam J, rigidly secured upon it directly above the roller 0, so that the cam may be in contact with the roller. Supposing the arm I during the rotation of the shaft F to be held immovably in ahorizontal position, it is obvious that at one point in each rotation the shaft and the attached printing-cylinder stamp or marker, as it may be differently termed, will be elevated for a moment above their usual level. hen no letter is passing to be marked, this momentary elevation of the marker is caused to take place just before the canceling or postmarking dies come nearest the belt. In order to hold the rocker-arm I immovably in this horizontal position and thus prevent it from being depressed when the cam is acting on the roller 0, I arrange beneath it a post or arm U, the upper end of which is quite or 5 nearly in contact with the under side of the arm. This post is secured to a horizontal rock-shaft m, which is journaled in suitable supports on the frame, and is provided with a controlling-lever Z, attached rigidly thereto and projecting up between the bands 0 C and beneath the postmarking-cylinder.

Arod P, of suitable wire or other substance, is rigidly attached to the rock-shaf t in and extends upward in an oblique direction, its upper portion lying alongside the cam J, from which projects a pin a, that during each revolution of the cam strikes the rod I, moving the same, and thus rocking the shaft in, (and the post U.) The pin (L is so located on the cam relatively to the position of the rod 1" that during a revolution of the cam said pin will cease to be in contact with and to act upon the rod before the projecting part of the cam comes in contact with the roller 0, and hence when the mail-matter is passing the post U will be thrown out from beneath the arm I at each revolution of the cam and will be kept out by the mail-matter resting on the lever Z; but when no mail-matter is passing the spring r, attached to the post and the frame, will return the post to its position beneath the arm before the projecting part of the cam reaches the roller, inasmuch as pin (4 leaves rodv P prior to this contact of cam and roller, and thus theprinting-cylinder will be caused to be elevated when its dies are opposite the belt an d there is no mail-matter to be stamped.

It will thus be seen that I have described a machine having a lever in the path of the mail matter, which through intermedia e means engages the oscillating frametlmt carries the marker, and that this lever serves as a marker-controller, which is itself operated or controlled by each individual piece of mail-matter passing through the machine. The mail-matter does not act on the markercontroller to place the printing-cylinder in what might be called the printing position. The marker is always in printing position, except when momentarily elevated, as above described, and the letter or other mail-matteroperates on the marker-controller to keep the printing cylinder in printing contact with the mail-matter after ithas been caused to assume this position by an agency entirely independent of the moving mail-matter.

The printing-cylinder I), which is secured on the shaft F, is provided with any suitable stamp-canceling die X and any suitable postmarking die Y, and also with a projecting foot Z, which holds the letter against thebelt and with the belt draws the letter forward over the lever Z and beneath the marker.

The operationof the machine is as follows: The article of the mail-matter to be stamped is dropped upon the belt with the stamp in the corner toward the marker and is carried forward to the stamp-canceling cylinder, beneath which it is fed at a time when the dies are almost on the belt. At this instant the pin a on the cam J strikes the rod P, rocking the rock-shaft m and the post U. At ti e same time the projecting foot Z and the belt (I draw the letter forward until it is over the lever The pin a, then passes off the rod l, which is now held by the mail-matter over the lever Z. The mail-matter is now passed through and marked; but if, when the pin (6 passes off the rod 1, there is no mail-matter passing to be printed, it is obvious that the spring 7- will cause the post U to come under the rockerarm, thus holding it immovable in an almost horizontal position. The cam J on the shaft F, still revolving, cannot now depress the rocker-arm, but is itself lifted, cm'rying up the stamp-cylinder, and the belt is thus kept from being inked by the marker.

Having thus described myinvention, whatI claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination of a letter-conveying belt, a rocktnr-frame above said belt, a printing-cylinder having its shaft journaled in the rocker-frame and provided w ith a cam, a rocker-arm pivoted on the frame and having one end below and in contact with said cam, a controllinglever in the letter-path, and a post resting beneath the rocker-arm and se cured to the rock-shaft that carries the controlling-lever, substantially as described.

in a machine for marking mail-matter, the combination of a letter-conveying belt, an impression-roll, a printingcylinder, a cam for removing said cylinder from the belt, a rockerarm on which the cam operates, a spring for keeping said arm in contact with said cam, and a lever extending into the path of the letter and provided with a catch for engaging the rocker-arm, as and for the purpose do- .seribed.

5. The eomlgiination of the conveying-belt C, imprcssion-roll E, rocker-frame G, printingcylindcr l), shaft F, having cam .l, the rockerarm I, spring T, controllingdever Z, and suitable connecting mechanism between the lover I and arm I, substantially as and for the purposes set forth. i

i. The combination, with a printing-roller, a cam on its shaft, and a movable roller-frame, of a rocker-arm beneath the cam, an impression-roller, and a lever in the lettei.'-patli snitably connected with the rocker-arm, substantially as described.

The combination of a miu'king-roller, a cam 011 its shaft, an impression-roller, one of said rollers being yieldingly arranged rela tively to the other, a movable arm against which the cam acts, and a lever in the letterpath connected to said arm, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof l affix inysignature in presence of two witnesses.

MARTIN V. ll. E'IIIRJDG'E.

\Vitnesses: I

(has. I lALL ADAMS, (Ltnnm W. 'lnowm'ooon. 

